A great-great grandson of Canada’s second prime minister says he’s encouraged work is being done to maintain Alexander Mackenzie’s gravesite in Sarnia.

He also wants people to know his famous forefather is not a Father of Confederation.

“I didn’t want to have someone putting a plaque up there in error,” said John Morgan.

He was responding to a recent Observer article referencing a letter from Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna saying maintenance work at the “fair” condition gravesite in Sarnia includes replacing a missing Father of Confederation plaque.

That was an error, a Parks Canada spokesperson said.

“It should have read that the site is missing a bronze plaque that was placed at the grave site in honour of the 125th celebrations of Confederation in 1992,” wrote Meaghan Bradley.

McKenna’s letter, responding to concerns raised by Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley in the wake of a National Post article on decaying gravesites of former Canadian prime ministers, also notes plans for Mackenzie’s gravesite include cleaning and stonework repairs, 3D scans of fading stone inscriptions, and ongoing monitoring of stone erosion and mortar, amid minor landscaping work, and retouching of paint.

Morgan, who lives in Ottawa, said he hasn’t been to Mackenzie’s gravesite since a restoration program was announced in 1999.

“Mackenzie’s is sandstone so it doesn’t wear very well,” he said. “I’m sure it presents all sorts of challenges.”

He’s hopeful repair work can be done in a timely manner, he said.

“It’s nice people that contributed to the development of the country, in whatever way, are being remembered,” he said. “It’s appropriate for Canada 150 to see that sort of thing happening.”